Musical & cultural festivals
Songdo never sleeps in September!
Writer Kim Sung-Ho
Songdo every year holds numerous cultural events and festivals. Many of them combine the cultures of Korea and others countries. Let’s take a look at the festivals Songdo will host during the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
On the evening of September 13, another festival will light up Songdo in a splendid fashion. Opened for the first time last year, Incheon Musical Fireworks Festival has emerged as one of the city’s most popular events, turning Incheon into one of Korea’s three fireworks cities along with Seoul and Busan. The second edition of the festival this year has seen many people showing interest and excitement. The venue is near the lake by Incheon Art Center in Songdo International Business District. After the opening ceremony, a musical fireworks show will be presented, followed by a multimedia fireworks show of laser, lighting, video and fireworks.
Especially, the latter will present a great spectacle with an introduction, development, turn and conclusion combined with music and state-of-the-art technology. The festival will also have a K-Pop Remix DJ show to heat up the atmosphere, and surely embroider the sky.
Getting to Incheon Art Center
By bus
Blue bus #6-2 – Get off at International Business District station and walk for about ten minutes
By Incheon subway
Get off at International Business District station and walk for about ten minutes
WILFE (We Are in Love Festival), which opened a new page in Korea’s festival culture, will come to Songdo in September with world-class contents.
From September 12-14, the festival will be held at Incheon Songdo Neighborhood Park #23 (Songdo Moonlight Festival Park). The festival site and stage facilities are expected to break national records. The event is especially attracting interest as it will include brilliant performances and events by Pacha, the club representing Ibiza of Spain and one of the world’s top three clubs. Since British DJs began playing house and techno music at clubs from the early 1980s, Pacha has been a byword of club culture, leading global clubbing trends. Furthermore, a Dutch festival team that has amazed people around the world every year will join the festival in Songdo, elevating expectations of WILFE 2014.
Difficult to describe with a single word, WILFE is a unique and multifaceted festival. It is different from conventional music festivals under a single theme, because it holds several festivals within one grand event. People can also simultaneously enjoy different genres of club music such as house, trance and electronic, in multiple stages. Those who love simple performances and club music will surely have a special experience at WILFE.
Getting to Songdo Moonlight Festival Park
By bus
Blue bus #9 – Get off at Songdo2-dong Community Center station and walk for about ten minutes
By Incheon subway
Get off at International Business District station and walk for about 20minutes
K-Festival, which seeks to make Incheon a mecca of the Korean Wave, will run at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park October 3-4.
Centered on K-Pop, the festival will be a general event on the Korean Wave with exhibitions and activities involving K-Food, K-Fashion, K-Beauty, K-Film and K-Smart IT contents. World-class idol singers and next-generation K-Pop bands will perform as well, and fans can meet top Korean Wave stars.
Different from previous events focusing on idol singers, the K-Festival will host mini concerts by idol teams on the main stage for two days, while leading Korean bands will perform on the sub stage to make this outdoor festival a true pop music event in Korea.
As the festival will open toward the closing of the Asian Games, it will serve as a cultural event where visitors, athletes and staff of the Asiad can have a pleasant time after the competition. For foreign guests, the K-Festival will have a World in Asia program where singers invited from Thailand, Vietnam and other countries and Korean idol groups will perform together. The program will allow Asian countries to engage in cultural exchanges.
The primary lineup will include ZE:A, 9 Muses, V.O.S. Jewelry, So Real, Paperbag, Nangman Band, Sultan of the Disco, J Rabbit, Oksangdalbit, Dick Punks, Monni, Jeong Jun-il and 10cm. After the Asian Games have ended, stop by the K-Festival to enjoy more excitement and entertainment.
Getting to Songdo Moonlight Festival Park
By bus
Blue bus #9 – Get off at Songdo2-dong Community Center station and walk for about ten minutes
By Incheon subway
Get off at International Business District station and walk for about 20 minutes
The fourth Songdo World Culture Festival will be held at the outdoor plaza behind the POSCO building of Songdo International Business District September 12-20. Under the theme “Beer Meets Culture,” the festival will offer cultural events with cold beer on a hot summer night. The event is also expected to attract foreign visitors who will come to Songdo just before the opening of the Asian Games.
Celebrating its fourth year, the festival will present performances, concerts and dances by more than 300 celebrities including pop singers from the 1970s to 90s. More than 100 foods from around the world will be served with famous beers from Europe, North America and Asia prepared by the festival sponsor. There will also be opportunities to experience the traditional cultures of participating countries. A “Clean Campaign” will strive to minimize the use of disposable goods during outdoor events. People who return reusable or recyclable items provided during the festival will be given rewards. To wish for a successful hosting of the Asian Games, each day of the festival will feature an Asian country, its beer and show performances related to the country before the day’s main performance. So check out the Songdo World Culture Festival as a tasty appetizer before the main course of the Asian Games.
Getting to the outdoor plaza of POSCO building
By bus
Red bus #M6405 - Get off at Central Park station
Express bus #908 - Get off at Central Park station
Airport bus #8818, #8833, #8834, #8842 – Get off at U-City Transit Center
By Incheon subway
Get off at Central Park station
